Smoking is legally banned inside and near the entrances of public buildings in Hawaii, but at the approximately 4000 open-sided bus stops on the island of Oahu, riders waiting for their buses are only protected by signs that encourage smokers to step aside when lighting up. Of course, this is hardly a solution to the problem of public secondhand smoke exposure, which is why the Honolulu City Council has proposed a bus stop smoking ban. In theory, this all-inclusive ban would be more enforceable than the existing rule that prohibits smoking inside the 38 bus shelters (which have two walls and a roof).
To me, the bus stop scene epitomizes the injustice of outdoor secondhand smoke. If two people are waiting patiently at a bus stop when a third person--a smoker--arrives, why should they be burdened by the third person's smoke? They shouldn't. Even if the smoker arrives at the bus stop first, the other two people have a right to breathe clean air and not have to go out of their way to find it while they wait for their bus. And, let's get real here--even if smokers step away from the bus stop to light up, they rarely go far enough to prevent their smoke clouds from drifting in the direction of other riders. I think the Honolulu City Council is on to something here, and I sincerely hope that the ban is approved and replicated in other cities.
Connecticut Parks & Beaches
A while back, I wrote about how the city of Vancouver will soon ban smoking in more than 200 parks and on all city beaches. In that mega-post, I gave my reasons for why it makes both scientific and philosophical sense. However, it doesn't end here. A public smoking ban in parks and on beaches also appeals to common sense, and the news I read about the efforts to make Connecticut parks and beaches smoke-free has reminded me of that.
First of all, parks and beaches are recreational areas. These facilities are intended for recreational activities that promote healthy lifestyles, like softball and swimming. The use of recreational drugs, like tobacco, simply cannot be considered in the same light. Some may say that if tobacco should be banned from parks and beaches, then so should alcohol. Good! After all, alcohol consumption has some its own, albeit more indirect, secondhand effects. We should keep both of these unhealthy habits out of parks and beaches.
Second, those who use city parks and beaches are escaping the confines of city life--most relevantly, the air pollution. Since parks and beaches should, theoretically, have the least pollution, they are often the most attractive places to get away. So why should smokers pollute this fresh air, let alone throw their cigarette butts on the ground? In short, Connecticut cities are doing the right thing by pushing smokers out of the cleanest areas of the state.
[Stupid] Quote of the Week
"Bowling, smoking and drinking go together." --Nancy McClain, owner of Belmar Lanes, Lincoln Park, MI...If Nancy were right, ESPN would never show bowling.
In other Michigan "sports" news, Michigan International Speedway is having some trouble convincing NASCAR fans that a smoke-free venue is actually a good idea. Surprise, surprise! At least the drivers themselves don't light up behind the wheel.
Smoke-free Colleges: An Unstoppable Force
Aside from my harsh criticism of the University of Florida student newspaper editorial board last week, I haven't talked about the college smoke-free movement since I started this blog in April, but I just read an article that reminded me of the great progress that has been made on this front. In 2005, there were 18 smoke-free colleges in the United States. Today? 394. No big deal, right? This seems to be what UF's James Smith is thinking:
"UF's current policy states that people cannot smoke within 50 feet of any building on campus. However, 24-year-old UF Graduate James Smith often takes his smoking breaks right outside his workplace on UF's campus. He is usually about five feet from the building. People sometimes approach Smith and remind him of the smoking policy, but he doesn't listen.What a cool guy James Smith is! His acts of defiance and disrespect will surely stop the UF smoking ban from coming and penalizing him...NOT. Sorry buddy, you better invest in an e-cigarette before July 1, the day your right to smoke cigarettes on campus will be taken away.
"I just smile and keep smoking," Smith said. "There's not much they can really do. My bosses get on me about it, but if I'm on break, I'm not on the clock. They can't really do anything to me."
Finally: A huge shout-out goes to my CYAN colleague, Amanda Swan, a pioneer in college smoke-free advocacy and enforcement at Santa Rosa Junior College, who was interviewed for the article that prompted this topic.
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